Varsity Post 199 wins Zone Tournament championship

Three from Basehor help summer squad to state tournament

Members of K.C. Varsity Post 199 have a dogpile after winning the Class A Zone Tournament on Sunday at Piper High School. The team defeated Bishop Miege once and Olathe South twice along the way to winning the championship. Post 199 will take a 30-6 record into the state tournament beginning Friday in Emporia. The team is made up of players from Basehor-Linwood High School, Piper and Tonganoxie.

A team composed of players from Basehor-Linwood, Tonganoxie and Piper high schools is headed to the American Legion Baseball State Tournament.

K.C. Varsity Post 199, a 16-and-under squad, captured the Class A Zone Tournament championship on Sunday at Piper High School to advance to the state tournament.

The team is 30-6 this summer.

Post 199 coach Steve Rezin expected to have a talented squad this season. The full roster returned from a group that went 19-12 last year and made it to the Zone Tournament finals before being eliminated.

“They’ve always been a pretty good team. They’ve played together for a long time and it’s not surprising, really,” Rezin said of the team’s success. “They’ve played so long together, they know each other, and that helps a bit. But they’ve got a lot of talent, too. They’re pretty good ball players, but any time you go 30-6 that’s somewhat surprising, I would imagine.”

The team used a challenging tournament schedule to prepare it for the Zone Tournament.

Post 199 routinely took on older teams. It placed first at the Doniphan County Invitational, an under-19 tournament. In addition, it won the Cowtown Showdown, an under-17 event, at Mid-America Sports Complex in Shawnee.

Based on its record, Post 199 earned the right to play host to the Zone Tournament. It knocked off Olathe South, 6-3, in the first round of the double-elimination event. Then it hammered Bishop Miege, 8-1, before claiming an 8-3 victory over Olathe South in the finals.

Eight zone — or regional — tournaments were played around the state, and the eight winners will compete for the state title July 24-28 in Emporia. It will utilize a double-elimination format.

Post 199 will open the state tournament at 1 p.m. Friday against the Lansing Reds.

Rezin said his squad has faced Lansing four times this summer and is 2-2 against the Reds.

In addition, Post 199 has played and defeated state tournament qualifier Salina.

Other teams in the field are Ottawa, Dodge City, Nickerson, the Wichita Sox and Emporia.

Rezin said he has high expectations of his team at state.

“I don’t know the records of all of these teams, but if you get to this point they’re all good teams,” he said. “But I like our chances as much as anybody’s. If we go down there and play like we’re capable of playing, we’re going to do all right.”